


science of empathy

by pepi_peachnbeans



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Fluff, M/M, Nightmares, Quiet Understandings, Science Bros, and to ross, late nights in the labs, old lil drabble, reference to bruce's childhood, reference to new york, soft, vvv small angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-11-15 11:05:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18072245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepi_peachnbeans/pseuds/pepi_peachnbeans
Summary: in which tony understands bruce, even with no words said





	science of empathy

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this like two years ago but am finally posting it here

Every time when he wakes up, he expects to find himself back in India, or worse. 

Honestly, everything is just so surreal for Bruce. Less than a month ago, he was in India, and had gone one whole year without having an incident. And now, here he is, in Stark Tower of all places. Never had he thought that he would ever be included in some superhero team, nor living in Stark Towers, yet here he is, and all of this had happened. 

Somehow though, almost ironically, this all happened because things had went wrong. 

Originally, Bruce wasn't going to stay. He honestly had been planning to get the next plane ticket to God knows where. Maybe China, or Thailand, he had always wanted to go there. But then... Then Tony had asked him to stay, and it is hard telling Tony no, on anything really,  but especially with this.

Even now, knowing that Tony wants him to stay, he still feels as if he is invading the tower. So, he tried his very best to keep to himself, which wasn't hard between Bruce's natural behavior, and Tony's constant working. It's not as if he doesn't want to be here, don't get him wrong, he's extremely thankful. There's a roof over his head, food to eat, an extremely comfy bed, and access to more technology for his work than he has ever had before.

Not to mention, there is also Tony himself, and Bruce really likes Tony because he actually treats Bruce like a human. Tony doesn't act afraid of him, and genuinely Bruce doesn't think he is. Despite how much the others try and pretend to not be afraid, he is well aware of the fact that in the end, they still are. Yet, Tony is just so different. He isn't afraid to joke with him, touch him, and really, Bruce loves it, he _needs_ it, even though a larger part of him fears it. Things are comfortable, Tony makes sure of it, and Bruce really does enjoy being here. 

But Bruce's mind doesn't let him stay too happy for long, it always finds a way to ruin it for him. Like reminding him about why he is even here. The Hulk. 

Realistically, Bruce knows that it is just the nightmare that is getting to him currently, that is making him want to run. But it is a hard thing to shut off, he has been running for years, hiding. And if he really wanted to, he could run, but there is no hiding from the most powerful beings on this planet. 

Sitting up, he shifts to get more comfortable as he blinks warily. God, he is so pathetic. He finds himself flinching as soon as the word enters his mind, almost seemingly ringing in his ears and merging together while spitting it out, _pathetic_. 

Of course, he technically is safe right now, and he knows that the worst of it is over. That doesn't mean that is feels like that. The past is still not erased, it is still there like an ugly stain that he will never be able to cleanse himself up. Sometimes, he can still feel it, as if it is happening again, as if he is there. Bullets, fists, he can't even tell the difference anymore. 

"Jarvis?" he calls out, his voice weak as he looks around despite knowing that there is nothing to be searching for. "What time is it?" 

"Hello Dr. Banner, currently it is three oh- four in the morning." 

Blinking, Bruce begins moving. There is no point in trying to go back to sleep tonight, as if he would even be able to, so he might as well head down to the labs to do some work to get his mind off of things. 

Tony is there when he walks in, almost scaring Bruce. Given, this is Tony's home, he just didn't expect to see him here and now at this time, but especially without music blasting. But here he is, standing over the table and fiddling with a bunch of wires. 

Wringing his hands together, he steps forward hesitantly, almost expecting Tony to start getting mad at him any second now for disturbing him. "Am I-"

"Hey," Tony turns around slowly while keeping his voice down. Jarvis, being one of the best inventions that Tony has ever created, had already alerted Tony of Bruce being on his way to the labs. Although seeing Bruce practically always brings a smile to his face, Tony finds himself fighting off a frown from seeing his all too familiar bloodshot eyes matched with deep and dark bags underneath them. "Here," he slides over the fresh coffee, made just the way Bruce likes because Tony has committed that to memory. 

Reluctantly, Bruce accepts the cup, "Thanks, I..." he trails off thinking of what he could say, what words he could use to explain himself for being awake. 

Things like this is all too familiar for Tony, he is no stranger to it, often finding himself in similar positions, like tonight. When they first joined up to become a team, the Avengers, Tony had read the S.H.I.E.L.D.S. files on Bruce, and now Jarvis is programmed to alarm him when Bruce's heart rate begins going up, that being something everyone had agreed upon. Nightmares are something all too real for Tony too, the utterly dark, vast, and empty nothingness as he falls- he shutters at the spiraling thoughts, an blinks to see Bruce is peering at him from underneath his glasses. 

Words of reassurance and understanding are caught in his throat as he swallows, leaving him to hope that somehow Bruce just knows. 

"Can you help me with this?" he moves aside, allowing Bruce to slip into the spot next to him, leaning in close, their shoulders brushing so that he can see what Tony was doing. "I've been stumped for a bit here. I know something is going wrong but I can't pinpoint what, whether it is the design, the materials, or the mathematical equation." 

Bruce smiles, "It's a little bit of design and math," he grabs a pad of paper that he always keeps around, always one to prefer doing his own math. Not long after scribbling incoherent notes to practically anybody else, Bruce is able to figure out what was wrong, and fix it. 

"Now this," Tony holds it up. "Is going in the suit." 

He makes eye contact with Bruce, who for once doesn't look somewhere else, but instead maintains eye contact with Tony, and smiles- one of his rare genuine ones that he never lets slip since he is always so on edge. 

And he hopes that Tony understands just how much this means to him. How fun it is for him to be doing this, helping, while having an ear to talk to. This isn't running away, nor is it hiding. Sure, it isn't therapy, but this is what Bruce knows he needs, and he thinks Tony needs this too. In a lot of ways, Tony is like Bruce. And he is determined now that together they can make things get better.


End file.
